Indian statesmanship to persuade the gullible Canadians that Sikhs are anon-entity apart from Hindus?
However, never mind those bearded and un-bearded, turbaned and non-turbaned, male and female, demonstrating Sikhs in Vancouver, B.C., who on June 23rd. 1973, imparted to Indra Ji and her ex-journalist High Commissioner that nauseous, sinking feeling, that dragged into shock, from the minute she emerged from the airport. The Akali blue on saffron-yellow placards, carried by Sikh demonstrators, saying, “Make Sikh Homeland,” “Free Sikh Prisoners” and “India Unfair to Sikhs,” that bugged Mrs. Indira Gandhi in Canada were televised on Canadian and American networks.
To quote S. Kapur Singh, ex. M. P. again:
“The ultimate intent of national 1 integration, as it is implemented today is the Hinduization’ of all minority religious, cultural and ethnical groups in India.” 2
Since the Independence a new era of fanaticism against Sikhs is unfolding. History has over-emphasized the fanaticism of Muslim rulers against Sikhs, while totally missing the Hindu in toleration of Sikhs. However, in the post-Independence years Hindus are catching up with Muslims in directing their relentless fanaticism against Sikhs. The following was a news item in The Vancouver Sun, dated 24th. September, 1973:
“New Delhi (Reuter) Mulkhi Ram Saraswate, a 65 year old retired government official burned himself to death here Sunday because local authorities handed over a small park in his neighborhood to a Sikh temple.”
The Sikh case for Khalistan is not merely emotional either. It is said that the idea of nationhood stems in every country from emotion. The Punjab Sikhs are now occupying a frontier or border state separating Pakistan and India. The present Indian Punjabis only about one-third the size of what had been the British Punjab, which consisted of thirty-two administrative districts, corresponding to counties. The Indian Punjab, since its “reorganization” by India in 1966, has some thirteen administrative districts, of which the principal ones are districts or parts of districts, of the old Punjab. These are Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Jullundur, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, etc. By inclusion of the adjoining territory to the east and south of the Sutlej River, formerly comprising the Sikh princely state of Patiala and a
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- See, Gill, Pritam Singh, Heritage of Sikh Culture, supra, the preface states: “Before 1857 (the mutiny) India was never one nation or state,” and “Indian nationalism has been connected with Hindi, Hinduism, and Hindu culture.” Sikhs are the prime victims of that Hindu nationalism.
- S. Kapur Singh, Sikhism and Politics, Supra.
